Electrical connector



Oct. 8, 1946. M. c. GAUTHIER 2,408,843

- F/GZ 8 Y I i) Q ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Filed Dec. 1. 1943 v .4 /2 m l 2 2/ 2o 0/ 9%? 4 I 1 22 252225 7 7 FIG.

INVENTOR M C. GAUTHIER ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 8, 1946 ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Marcel C. Gauthier, Montclair, N. J assignor to Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application December 1, 1943, Serial No. 512,436

1 Claim.

This invention relates to electrical connectors, and more particularly to combination terminals and spring clips.

In the field of telephony carbon protector blocks are employed in certain of the communication circuits adjacent terminal connections to effect grounding of a circuit should a high surge of electrical energy pass through the circuit.

An object of the invention is to provide an electrical connector which is simple in structure, formed of one piece of material, and including both a terminal portion and a spring clip portion.

With this and other objects in view, the invention comprises an electrical connector structure including a body partially embedded in a panel and formed of a strip of conductive material folded intermediate its ends to produce a terminal portion and a spring clip portion, the latter being bent away from and back toward the terminal portion.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein Fig. 1 is a perspective View of the electrical connector structure, the panel portion thereof being shown in section;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of the electrical connector structure showing a plurality of the units illustrated in Fig, 1, and

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of a portion of Fig. 2 taken substantially along the-line 33 of that figure.

Referring now to the drawing, attention is first directed to Fig. 1, which illustrates a body, indicated generally at Iii, formed of a strip of spring metal folded at I l intermediate its ends to provide a terminal portion l2 and a spring clip portion it. The spring clip portion is bent outwardly, at [5, from the terminal portion l2 and inwardly, at it, toward the terminal portion. Notches ii are formed in conductors 18 (Fig. 2) singly thereto by suitable means such as soldering. The opposite end of the terminal portion i2 is notched, as at 59, for connection singly with electrical conductors it as illustrated in Fig. 2. The intermediate portion of the body, including closely adjacent parts indicated at 20 of the terminal and spring clip portions, is mounted in a panel 2|. In the present embodiment the panel 2! is molded about the body H] as illustrated in Fig. 1, it being understood, however, that apertures of 2 suitable contours may be provided to receive a plurality of the bodies It as illustrated in Fi 2. The panel 2| is formed of a suitable insulating material and is mounted upon a frame (not shown).

Referring now to Fig. 2, it will be noted that a contact 22 is mounted upon the panel as indicated at 23, and projects midway between each pair of clip portions l4. U-shaped carbon blocks or members 25 are disposed in place in engagement with the contacts 22, as shown, and partially surround their respective spring clips. Through the aid of electrical conductors 21, the contacts 22 are connected to ground. In the present embodiment the conductors l8 extend to and are electrically connected to other electrical apparatus such as terminals 28.

Upon reviewing the electrical connector, its simplicity in structure will be apparent in the formation of the two portions, namely the terminal i2 and the spring clip I l of the single strip of spring metal. Permanent electrical connection of the two portions is, therefore, assured, the terminal portion functioning in its respective circuit, including the conductors I8 and 2%! and the sprin clip M, in readiness to connect the circuit to ground should there exist a high surge of electrical energy to effect shorting of the circuit through the spring clip, the protector block and the adjacent contact 22 to ground.

Although specific improvements of the invention have been shown and described, it will be understood that they are but illustrative and that various modifications may be made therein without departing from the scope and spirit of this invention as defined by the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

An electrical connector comprising a body formed of a strip of conductive material notched adjacent one end to form a single terminal portion, a length of the material near the other end being bent at spaced positions to form an angular resilient contact portion, the material of the body also being bent back on itself intermediate the single terminal portion and the contact portion to form a double terminal portion, with aligned notches therein near the last mentioned bend, and to position the free ends of the contact portion and the single terminal portion in a common plane at spaced positions from each other.

MARCEL C. GAUTHIER. 

